Residents speak to Watertown council

Several city residents came before the Watertown City Council to speak about various issues at the group’s meeting Tuesday night.

A representative from the Watertown High School chamber choir asked for a donation to pay for buses to the state competition in Murfreesboro. The choir reported it would cost $500 to rent two buses to take them to the competition.

Mayor Mike Jennings agreed to donate $250 to rent one of the buses for the event.

“Our charter prohibits us from giving donations to festivities and pageants and that type of thing,” said Jennings. “But we have, for about 10 years, given to Project Graduation, and we’re not going to have that this year. I’m prepared to support some type of donation to the choir.”

Andrew Tippet, a 16-year-old Boy Scout, brought a proposal to add stretching and exercise equipment around the walking trail at Three Forks Community Park.

“I see people walking and running and exercising, and I figured they could use something else to exercise with,” said Tippet.

He proposed adding a pull-up bar, sit-up station, stretching station and dip bars. Tippet said he would fund the project through donations, as well as personal funds, and install the equipment himself. The project would allow Tippet to earn his Eagle Scout rank.

The council approved Tippet’s proposal and said they thought it was a great idea.

“I wish we could go out there tonight,” said Jennings.

Watertown resident Jerry Heady came to the council with a complaint. His monthly water bill, which he said had never been more than $60-$70, was more than $1,400 in March.

“It says I’ve used 102,000 gallons of water,” said Heady. “By my math, that’s three years worth of a water bill.”

Heady said he’s looked all around the house and hasn’t been able to find a leak. He also said he’d looked at his water meter but was unable to find a problem with it. Jennings said the city had looked into the matter and verified Heady’s claims.

The council voted to take an average of three months of Heady’s normal water bills and charge him that amount for March, instead of $1,400.